1. School Meal Pattern Requirements & USDA Foods U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service February 2014

2. School Meal Pattern Implementation  Overview of Meal patterns  National School Lunch Program  School Breakfast Program  Dietary Specifications  USDA Foods  Resources

3. Lunch Meal Pattern Overview  Five food components  Fluid Milk  Fruits  Vegetables  Grains  Meats/Meat Alternates

4. Lunch Meal Pattern Chart Amount of Food Per Week (Minimum Per Day) Grades K-5Grades 6-8Grades 9-12 Fruits (cups) 2½ (½) 5 (1) Vegetables (cups) 3¾ (¾) 5 (1) Dark green ½½½ Red/orange ¾¾1¼ Beans/Peas (Legumes) ½½½ Starchy ½½½ Other ½½¾ Addl Veg to Reach Total 111½ Grains (oz eq) 8-9 (1)8-10 (1)10-12 (2) Meats/Meat Alternates (oz eq) 8-10 (1)9-10(1)10-12(2) Fluid milk (cups) 5 (1)

5. Fluid Milk Component  1 cup (8 fluid ounces) for all grades  Must offer daily variety (at least 2) of the following:  Fat-free unflavored  Fat-free flavored  Low-fat (1% or less) unflavored  Low-fat or fat-free lactose-reduced/lactose-free  Whole, 2%, and low-fat flavored milk not allowable  No fat/flavor restriction on milk substitutes

6. Fruits Component  Fresh/frozen/canned/dried fruit and 100% juice are allowed  Frozen fruit with added sugar now allowed permanently  50% fruit juice limit applies to the total fruit offered per week  Must be 100% juice

7. Vegetables Component  Fruits and vegetables separate components at lunch  Daily minimum quantity requirement  Weekly variety requirement (5 subgroups):  Red/orange (carrots, tomatoes, sweet potatoes…)  Dark green (romaine, spinach, broccoli…)  Legumes/beans/peas (kidney beans, chickpeas…)  Starchy (white potatoes, corn, green peas…)  “Other" (cucumbers, celery, mushrooms…)

8. Fruits and Vegetables  Schools may offer both in pureed form (smoothies, soups)  Fruit smoothie guidance provided in memo SP 10-2014  Fruit (and milk) are credited in smoothies prepared by local operators  The fruit is credited in smoothies prepared commercially  The fruit in smoothies counts as juice and counts toward the weekly juice limit  Pureed forms credit based on the actual volume served  See policy memos:  SP 10-2012, Meal Pattern Q&As  SP 10-2014, Smoothies Offered in CN Programs

9. Grains Component  SY 2013-14: Half of grains must be whole grain–rich  All grains credited in oz. eq. and based on 16 grams of grain  Grain/bread servings no longer used  14.75 gram standard no longer allowable  SY 2014-2015: All grains must be whole grain-rich (not 100% whole grain)  Whole grain-rich = At least 50% whole grain and rest of product/blend must be enriched refined flour  Corn masa dough treated with lime is allowable as a whole grain ingredient (SP 02-2013)

10. Whole Grain-Rich Criteria  Element 1: Food item must meet the oz eq (size) requirements  Element 2: The food must meet at least one of the following:  Whole-grain per serving must be at least 8.0 grams  Product includes the FDA whole-grain health claim  A whole grain is the first ingredient in the product ingredient listing  Whole Grain Resource for the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs http://www.fns.usda.gov/sites/default/files/WholeGrainResour ce.pdf http://www.fns.usda.gov/sites/default/files/WholeGrainResour ce.pdf

11. Meats/Meat Alternates Component  Required only in the NSLP  Operators can continue to offer wide variety of products  Lean meats and poultry, eggs, fish  Low-fat cheeses, yogurt, beans, nuts and seeds  Tofu and soy yogurt now creditable  SP 16-2012 Crediting Tofu and Soy Yogurt Products

12. School Breakfast Program

13. Required Components 1. Milk 2. Fruits 3. Grains

14. Meal Pattern For Breakfast Amount of Food Per Week (Minimum Per Day) Grades K-5Grades 6-8Grades 9-12 Fruits (cups) 5 (1) Vegetables (cups) 000 Grains (oz eq) 7-10 (1)8-10 (1)9-10 (1) Meats/Meat Alternates (oz eq) 000 Fluid milk (cups) 5 (1)

15. Fluid Milk Component  1 cup (8 fluid ounces) for all grades  Must offer daily variety (at least 2) of the following:  Fat-free unflavored  Fat-free flavored  Low-fat (1% or less) unflavored  Low-fat or fat-free lactose-reduced/lactose-free  Whole, 2%, and low-fat flavored milk not allowable  No fat/flavor restriction on milk substitutes

16. Fruits Component  Fruits required  1 cup required for all grades (SY 2014-15)  Vegetables substitute allowed  50% juice limit  Only full strength juice

17. Grains Component  Same crediting and whole grain-rich criteria as lunch  1 oz. eq. minimum daily requirement (all grades)  Daily and weekly requirements for menu planning purposes  K-5 7-10 oz. eq. per week  6-8 8-10 oz. eq. per week  9-12 9-10 oz. eq. per week  Half of the grains offered must be whole grain-rich  SY 2014-15: all grains must be whole grain-rich  RTE cereals must be fortified (unless 100% WG) 17

18. Optional Meat/Meat Alternates  There is no separate requirement to offer Meats/Meat Alternates (M/MA) in the new SBP meal pattern  SFAs that wish to offer a Meat/Meat Alternate at breakfast have two options  Count Meats/Meat Alternates toward Grains requirement  Offer a Meats/Meat Alternates as “extra” food (count toward Dietary Specifications)

19. Dietary Specifications

20. Dietary Specifications for School Meals  Saturated fat (unchanged)  Less than 10% of calories from saturated fat for all grades  Trans fat  Zero grams per offered portion (check labels) for all grades  Calories  Minimum and maximum levels for each grade group  Sodium  Specific limits for each grade group  First target begins in SY 2014 and remains in effect for three years

21. Calories  Calorie ranges are based on science and data on children’s food intake  Calorie ranges are weekly averages  Calories do not apply to meal selected by individual student  Student selections may also be above or below the ranges

22. Sodium  Intermediate targets can help schools reach final targets Sodium Reduction: Timeline & Amounts (mg) Grades Target 1 (July 1, 2014) Target 2 (July 1, 2017) Final Target (July 1, 2022) School Breakfast Program K-5< 540< 485< 430 6-8< 600< 535< 470 9-12< 640< 570< 500 National School Lunch Program K-5< 1,230< 935< 640 6-8< 1,360< 1,035< 710 9-12< 1,420< 1,080< 740

23. Sodium Reduction Efforts  Modify procurement specifications and recipes  Resources for reducing sodium  Team Nutrition Healthy Meals Resource System  http://healthymeals.nal.usda.gov/menu-planning/sodium-reduction http://healthymeals.nal.usda.gov/menu-planning/sodium-reduction  National Food Service Management Institute  http://www.nfsmi.org/documentlibraryfiles/PDF/20120102035310.pdf http://www.nfsmi.org/documentlibraryfiles/PDF/20120102035310.pdf  USDA Foods 23

24. Saturated Fat  Saturated fat limit  Less than 10 percent of total calories  Same as previous regulatory standard  No total fat limit

25. Trans Fat  New trans fat restriction  Nutrition label or manufacturer’s specifications must specify zero grams of trans fat per serving (less than 0.5 gram per serving)  Naturally-occurring trans fat excluded  e.g. beef, lamb, dairy products

26. Weighted Nutrient Analysis  Schools not required to conduct a nutrient analysis  State agencies may conduct a weighted nutrient analysis based on review of offered menus  Product labels and information provided by manufacturers are essential to demonstrate compliance

27. USDA Foods

28. USDA Foods Support Meal Patterns  Variety  Specifications support meal pattern implementation  High quality options  Versatility

29. Fruits  Fresh, frozen, dried, canned and 100% juice  Nutrition focus in product specifications (e.g. canned items in extra light syrup)  Quality is defined in specification (e.g. size and grading requirements)  Products are versatile (e.g. ready-to-eat, institutional size and bulk)

30. Vegetables  Fresh, frozen, canned, and dried options  Includes options in all 5 subgroups  Nutrition focus in product specifications (e.g. low- sodium canned, no salt added frozen products)  Quality is defined in specification (e.g. size and grading requirements)  Products are versatile

31. Whole Grain  USDA Foods will offer only whole grain products for direct delivery beginning in SY15  Whole grain products tested and specifications refined for optimal outcome  Products are versatile (e.g. ready-to-eat, dry, bulk for processing)

32. Meat/Meat Alternates  Variety of meat, dairy, and plant-based options  Specifications emphasize lower sodium, lower fat meat and cheese options  Product specialists define formulations to ensure consistent product quality, taste, and functionality  Significant amount of product versatility (e.g. meat vs. non-meat options, varied portion sizes)

33. Next Steps for USDA Foods  Continue to explore new product options using feedback from states and school districts  Continue to review and refine product specifications to improve nutrition profile and improve product appeal  Explore ways to improve process for communicating product information to states and school districts

34. Resources  School Meal Pattern Requirements  http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/Governance/Legislation/nutritionstandards.htm http://www.fns.usda.gov/cnd/Governance/Legislation/nutritionstandards.htm  Whole Grain Resource for NSLP and SBP  http://www.fns.usda.gov/sites/default/files/WholeGrainResource.pdf http://www.fns.usda.gov/sites/default/files/WholeGrainResource.pdf  Sodium Reduction  Team Nutrition Healthy Meals Resource System  http://healthymeals.nal.usda.gov/menu-planning/sodium-reduction http://healthymeals.nal.usda.gov/menu-planning/sodium-reduction  National Food Service Management Institute  http://www.nfsmi.org/documentlibraryfiles/PDF/20120102035310.pdf http://www.nfsmi.org/documentlibraryfiles/PDF/20120102035310.pdf  USDA Foods  How USDA Foods Support Meal Pattern Requirements (Chart)  http://www.fns.usda.gov/sites/default/files/Meal_Pattern_USDA_Foods_Chart_Sept201 3.pdf http://www.fns.usda.gov/sites/default/files/Meal_Pattern_USDA_Foods_Chart_Sept201 3.pdf  Complete List of Available Foods  http://www.fns.usda.gov/fdd/foods-expected-be-available http://www.fns.usda.gov/fdd/foods-expected-be-available  USDA Foods Fact Sheets  http://www.fns.usda.gov/fdd/nslp-usda-foods-fact-sheets http://www.fns.usda.gov/fdd/nslp-usda-foods-fact-sheets